'Human error' in ambulance delay

Albany's review of May 19 response to boy's death suggests improvements

By Humberto Martínez Staff writer

Published 1:00 am, Saturday, July 25, 2009

ALBANY — Mohawk Ambulance Service's delayed response to a fatal bicycle accident scene was due to the "human error" of an ambulance dispatcher, according to a city report issued Friday.

The report, which reviewed the response to the May 19 accident that killed Benjamin Cocco, 11, on New Scotland Avenue, said many of the city's suggestions to avoid similar delays were already in place. It also confirmed that a quicker response would not have saved the boy.

Mayor Jerry Jennings ordered the report after Cocco of Albany crashed into the side of a car while riding his bike on that night, leading to a fatal head injury. The case received attention from city officials after it took Mohawk, which has the city ambulance contract, 25 minutes to reach him.

The report concluded that the main cause of the delay in arrival was a Mohawk dispatcher, who should have informed city dispatchers that a Mohawk ambulance would not be able to reach Cocco at 1065 New Scotland in time.

Dr. Michael Dailey, the city fire department's medical director, said the report revealed problems in the system where one person could slow down a rescue.

"I think this is something that surprised everyone," Dailey said. "That a single human error could have caused such a long response is alarming."

According to the report, dispatchers received the call on the accident at 7:16 p.m. and made it a high priority. They contacted the Mohawk dispatcher, who incorrectly thought an ambulance out of service would be able to respond in time. Albany Fire Department responders were at the scene providing CPR as they waited for an ambulance, which didn't arrive until 7:39 p.m. The Mohawk dispatcher had deployed an ambulance from Troy as backup for the other.

The report blamed the Mohawk dispatcher's actions as the key error in the case. The Troy ambulance that had been deployed did not have an Albany portable radio, making communication difficult and another Mohawk ambulance in Ridgefield Park could have been diverted, it said.

Tapes reviewed by the Times Union in May from the night Cocco died revealed dispatchers questioning the path taken by the ambulance, purportedly winding through Washington Park to reach the boy. The report said GPS records showed the ambulance took the fastest route to the site, but made a wrong turn on Krumkill Road, causing a delay in their arrival by a minute. Dailey later said a normal response time would have been inconsequential to the boy's death, which was instant.

The report outlines several proposed improvements, including new equipment for all the ambulances and a system to track them, notifying dispatchers which vehicle is best to deploy. Mohawk will also increase staffing on night shifts.

Mohawk Vice President of Operations Rich Brandt was quoted in the report as saying the ambulance service was making several improvements. Spokesman Tom Nardacci said Friday they will continue working with the city on improvements, but he did not address the specifics of the report.

Dailey said the changes are already being implemented. The new system would also have ambulances being dispatched under the same system as fire department EMTs, he said.

"Our goal is to assure that the system servicing the citizens of Albany is the best it can be," Dailey said.

Sam Fresina, president of the Albany Firefighters Union, complained about the system in May. He said most of the problems would be solved if the report's suggestions were followed.

Humberto Martinez can be reached at 454-5057 or by e-mail at hmartinez@timesunion.com